Middling Bets

What is Middling?

In betting terms, middling bets are very simple to define. The reason they are called middling bets is because when the bettor places a wager, and when the outcome of the match happens to land in between the two odds given, the bettor will get a big payout. The outcome must fall in between the two bets previously made, which is why they call id middling, as it falls in the middle of the wager. Middling is said to be a very scientific form of betting, as it involves calculating odds and using statistics to know whether there will be a big payout or not. It is referred to as a long-term type of bet, even though the payouts are immediate. The reason is because a bettor will most often than not, lose. However, by doing it correctly the possible winnings will far outmatch the combined losses. This type of betting involves many different aspects including, thinking critically, different forms of winning, and statistics.

Thinking Critically

As middling requires more patience than other forms of betting, especially if the bettor wants to see their winnings increase over time. The type of bet requires the bettor to think critically, not depend on their instinct, but more so, on their intellect. In order for a person to think critically they need to follow certain steps. This type of thinking can also be applied to the other types of betting as well.

Evidence through Observation

A bettor needs to learn to observe, which goes along with the other middling aspect of statistics. By watching how the NFL games are played and their performances over time, will give the bettor good insight, increasing the probability that their predictions succeed.

Applying Methods and Techniques

After observing and analyzing, the bettor needs to learn how to apply the methods and techniques that go along with middling. Some of these methods include wagering both teams in one sportsbook, both teams in two different sportsbooks, and learning which bet has higher chances of winning. These techniques are widely used with the other types of betting, and many of the more experienced bettors use them.

Applying Theoretical Constructs

Bettors should be able to picture in their head, or on paper, how the NFL teams play in general, as well as against certain opponents. By running scenarios based on the observations, as well as statistics, the bettor will be able to cover all their bases and make a better wager.

Reading and Understanding Statistics

This aspect should hold true no matter what type of bet is being used, as it increases the chances that the bettor will win the wager. This means the bettor needs to learn how to calculate and analyze the team’s statistics, including team, individual, and overall statistics. This kind of information is the easiest to find, as there are people that work in this for a living. All the bettor needs to do is take those statistics and use it to their advantage.

Different Forms of Winning

When placing a middling bet, they should always remember that there is more than one way to win this kind of bet; there is also the possibility of losing. As the bettor places two different bets on the two NFL teams that are going to play each other, there are two possible outcomes when it comes to middling; remember a bettor will lose more often, but when they finally win, the profits will far exceed the losses. The two outcomes are WIN/WIN and WIN/PUSH. WIN/LOSE is the one form of losing that a bettor can possibly get.

WIN/WIN

When a bettor places a bet on both teams, and the point spread for the favorite and the underdog is met, they will have a WIN/WIN situation. For this example, the two teams odds are taken from different sportsbooks.

SB1 – New England Patriots: -3 -110
SB2 – New York Giants: +6 +100

When the bettor places a bet of $1100 on the Patriots (in order to win $1000), the patriots must win by more than 3 points, and by placing the bet on the Giants of $1000 (to win $1000) to outright win, or lose while keeping the point spread to less than 6 points, they have officially placed a middling bet. If the game ends, and the point spread is in the middle, between 3 and 6, the bettor will have a WIN/WIN. Making the total profit earned of $2000.

WIN/PUSH

When there is a WIN/PUSH situation, the bettor will tie on one bet, while winning the other. Using the same example, if the match between the Patriots and the Giants end with a score of 21 – 18, then the bet on the Patriots will have tied, as they won by 3 points. However, the bet on the Giants won, because even though they lost, they kept the point spread less than 6 points. The bettor will receive its investment back on the one bet, and get a payout on the other. In this case, they will get a total profit of $1000 on this bet.

WIN/LOSE

This will happen when the Patriots outright lose the match or cannot win by more than 3 points. If the Patriots lost the game, then the bet of $1100 is lost, but the bet on the Giants won $1000, making the overall loss of $100. This is minimal loss for the potential payout that a bettor could get by middling bets.

Bankrolling the Middling Bets

It is important for bettors to understand that this type of betting is a numbers game, and should be done thinking of the long term success. This is why it is better if they use a different bankroll when placing middling bets. This way, they can continue to place other bets as well without feeling the brunt of the losses. Remember, play for the long run, and play smart and middling bets will repay you.